Courts and Government let down British prisoners in Guantanamo

UNISON was quite rightly affiliated to the Guantanamo Human Rights Commission. This week confirmed some bad news for those of us who care about human rights.

As you can see at the Save Omar website, the courts have ruled against an attempt by the families of British residents (but not citizens) kidnapped and held by the US at Guantanamo Bay to compel our Government to stick up for these victims of the unlawful and unjust conduct of the US.

Of course we now know that this was a bit academic because in fact the Government have been refusing to accept these British residents even though the US may now want to let them go!

As Amnesty International have said, the court decision does not absolve the Government of its obligation to take action. Trade union activists need to be to the fore in protecting civil liberties, because every infringement of our liberties will always be turned against our movement.